Happiness Is An Important Factor

Pune, Maharashtra

It is everyone’s responsibility to work for the improvement of our society.We cannot say that we love the gardener (God) but we don’t like his garden (society). Nobody can say this. That is why janseva (serving people) is Janardana-seva (serving God). So we should be involved in service.Whosoever is given a position, they should remember that the chair is meant for serving the people, and not for selfish personal gains. The leaders of the country should live with humility, and serve with dedication, just like a servant would.

Always have this unshakable faith that the Divine is all-powerful and is capable of removing all the suffering and any lack in my life.

God is said to be ‘Dasaanudasa’ , which means the servant of servants. Lord Hari (a name for Lord Narayana) is said to be the servant of servants. God serves his devotees with utmost humility and love. So we should be also be like a das (always ready to serve), like the Divine, but we should not be udaas (sad).

Some people feel that everyone is corrupt. This is not true. Even today there are many good people everywhere.In Dwapar Yuga (Copper age) , there were five Pandavas and hundred Kauravas. Do you know, in Kaliyuga (known as the Dark Epoch of time), there are hundred Pandavas (here meaning noble people) and only five Kauravas (here referring to the wicked ones).There are only a handful of people who cause disturbances. But the silence of the good people has allowed their nuisance to continue.All the good people of society keep silent. Many people don’t even go to exercise the right to vote. They think, ‘Oh, it is so hot’, or, ‘It is raining, why take the trouble to go and vote? Let us be at home and enjoy'.With this attitude they don’t go to vote. I would urge you not to think in like this. You should definitely go and vote.I will personally check the percentage of voting for this area. We should have 100% voting and you all have to make this happen.

Today many farmers are committing suicide in Maharashtra. Earlier they never used to do that.In the Second World War, one lakh Indian soldiers lost their lives. Many of them were from Maharashtra. At the same time, the whole country was in the grip of plague, even then nobody committed suicide. Now people have started doing this just because of the loss of one crop harvest.I came to know that five people committed suicide last week. This is one of the reasons why I keep going from place and place all around the country, to tell the farmers not to worry. Even now there is humanity in this world. I am with you. All the Art of Living teachers and volunteers are with you . We won’t let you commit suicide. You don’t need to do that.We stand together with you and we will support you in every way.

We all have belongingness, humanity and love in us. Now is the time to bring this out strongly. We need to meet people and communicate with them. We need to bring a wave of happiness in our society.Today, even the United Nations has acknowledged that it is not GDP (Gross Domestic Product) but GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) which is more important. We cannot ignore this; happiness is an important factor. Are people happy? Are they content? Now these factors are also being measured.

The volunteers of VBI (Volunteer for a Better India) should go from village to village and sit with people. Inspire them, and kindle enthusiasm in them. Do satsangs wherever possible.Bringing a wave of spirituality alone will make this difference.

Last month, I was in Vienna. There was a conference called the InterAction Council (IAC) which was attended by the former Prime Ministers of 50 countries. They were all concerned about the corruption in the world. Corruption, terrorism, violence, all these issues were discussed there in detail.The former Prime Ministers of Japan and Canada were also there. In the past 20 years, none of our Indian Prime Ministers have attended this conference. Some who could have attended this were unwell in the past, so they could not attend. So India had no representation.I don’t know why the council invited me. There we had many discussions on the issues that society is facing today everywhere. I also put forward my points.The people there asked me, 'Gurudev, there is a lot of corruption in our country also. There are one or two scams in five six years. But how is it that you have five to six scams every month?'I said, 'See, India has a huge population. The people now have become very aware and have understood their duty to the country.'In the coming years, India will once again rise to such heights of progress that it will astonish the whole world.

India has always had power, and it is because the spirituality of India.We need to bring forward the image of our nation as a secure and strong country.People today say that there is so much rape happening in India, and the women are not safe. The main reason of this insecurity of the women in our country is because of alcoholism. Most of the people who committed crimes against women were under the influence of intoxicants. Until we rid our society of these intoxicants, crimes against women will continue.Some of these incidents are reported in the newspapers. But there are so many that take place in the villages and go unreported.A husband comes home drunk and beats his wife. In the morning when the effect of alcohol wears off, the same husband falls at her feet and asks for forgiveness. And the lady forgives him too, because she is kindhearted We need to bring a huge wave of spirituality to change this situation today.

The volunteers of VBI (Volunteer for a Better India) should go from village to village and sit with people. Inspire them, and kindle enthusiasm in them. Do satsangs wherever possible.Bringing a wave of spirituality alone will make this difference.The transformation has already begun and the much needed change has also started happening everywhere.

Our society is upheld because of good people. Don’t think everybody is wrong, or that everyone is dishonest. There are many good people even today. When we think that all people are cheats then we give a license to ourselves to be like that.

I congratulate all our yuvacharyas (youth leaders and volunteers of the Art of Living) and Art of Living teachers. They have brought back five dying rivers to life. These rivers had stopped flowing. These are achievements that I share with great pride with you all.The river Kumudvathi in Karnataka, river Dharani in Maharashtra, are some great examples.There was so much growth of algae in the pond in Sholapur. All the youth of VBI went there and cleaned it together. Now the water has become pure once again. This only inspired us further to carry on the good work.Inspired from Maharashtra, VBI has taken up the task of giving life to three rivers in Karnataka as well. They completed as many as thousand projects in Delhi alone. We have this power to bring change, so we should bring change.

We should have this faith that there are good people in society even today.Our society is upheld because of good people. Don’t think everybody is wrong, or that everyone is dishonest. There are many good people even today. When we think that all people are cheats then we give a license to ourselves to be like that. This is because, we feel, 'Oh, everybody is like this, so I too will behave like a cheat. Why should I behave any different from anyone else?'To say that everyone is wrong, is itself wrong. Everyone cannot be bad.

The other kind of faith we need to have is faith in the Divine; in the one supreme power that is managing everything in the world. Have this faith that God belongs to you, and loves you so much. Then you will see your life blossoming, and you will spread fragrance wherever you go. When you have this faith, whatever you want will start happening.I want to ask the devotees here. How many of you feel that after coming to the path, whatever you have desired starts happening? Raise your hands (many in the audience raise hands).

If I tell you, whatever I want happens, then you would say, 'Oh Gurudev, but you are different'. See, the Divinity is the same for everyone. When we say that God is everywhere, then he is present in you also,isn’t it? And when God belongs to all, then he definitely belongs to you also. God has always been and will continue to be, at all times. Always have this unshakable faith that the Divine is all-powerful and is capable of removing all the suffering and any lack in my life.

Today, even the United Nations has acknowledged that it is GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) which is more important.We cannot ignore this; happiness is an important factor. Now these factors are also being measured.

So just feel that the Divinity belongs to me and always resides in me. Knowing this and taking deep rest in this faith is meditation.What benefits will you get if you meditate every day with this unshakable faith? Your will power will be strengthened. You will be able to bless others, and fulfill their desires.

We can come out of any circumstance in life when we have this faith in us. So I would ask you to go and spread this message. Spread this message to our farmers, to the youth, and to our students. Our life is much more important than one crop. To commit suicide because one crop was ruined is not a wise thing to do. Life is far more precious than this. You need to make them understand this.

(Note: The discourse was given in Hindi. Above is a translation of the original talk.)